Petition seeks to remove speed limit at Applegate Lake

The Oregon State Marine Board will mull a petition to lift the 10 mph speed limit on Applegate Lake, opening the 33-year-old reservoir to waterskiing and other activities for the first time.

The Oregon State Marine Board will mull a petition to lift the 10 mph speed limit on Applegate Lake, opening the 33-year-old reservoir to waterskiing and other activities for the first time.

The Marine Board will come to Medford Dec. 16 to take public comment on the petition, which also seeks to prohibit motorboats in the Hart-Tish Park swim area and create four slow-no wake zones around popular swimming and fishing areas.

The reservoir in southwest Jackson County was created by the damming of the Applegate River just north of the Oregon/California border.

The meeting will be at 7 p.m. at the Medford library, 205 S. Central Ave.

Written comments will be accepted via mail, fax, or e-mail and can be sent to June LeTarte, Rules Coordinator, 435 Commercial Street NE, Salem, OR 97301, fax number 503-378-4597 or at osmb.rulemaking@state.or.us.

Written comments on the petition will be accepted until

5 p.m. December 31.

To view the petition visit: www.oregon.gov/OSMB/Pages/admin/OSMB_Rulemaking_Newpage.aspx. The Marine Board is scheduled to vote on the matter at its Jan. 9 meeting in Portland.